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11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fantastic Premium Laptop, Incredible Screen, Poor Service, March 13, 2003
If you plan to use this computer as a critical piece of hardware, please be advised there are no on-site repairs nor local service centers outside of Southern California. Moreover, their tech support leaves something to be desired. The new Sony GRX series laptops truly epitomize the concept of desktop replacement. While my primary motivation for finding a replacement for my Dell Inspiron 8000 was merely to find a laptop with tolerable build quality, I have been rather impressed with the total package offered by the VAIO GRX. The Inspirons have such incredibly flimsy construction that the creaking and cracking leave the user wondering if the product is going to fall apart in your hands. Hence, I sought a laptop with titanium, magnesium, or composite construction. After *extensive* research, the VAIO appears to be the best construction obtainable for a laptop that has a UXGA screen, which reaches an incredible 16.1 inches on the GRX. This 16.1 inch UXGA (1600 x 1200) screen will be the primary draw for most buyers. For those condemned to flying coach (excl American) think again. This laptop is 10.5" deep and 14" wide. Also, there aren't many fully-padded laptop bags that accommodate this size laptop. FYI, Targus makes two, the CL55 and CL90. I was pleasantly surprised when I first opened the package at a retailer in suburban Chicago as I hadn't received mine yet. The shell is very sturdy despite having a large footprint with minimal thickness. I have been told that magnesium is used in the shell, but this hasn't been substantiated. Clearly, however, it is better constructed than offerings by Dell, HP, IBM, or Compaq. Apple might be able to edge it out in design quality, but Sony put a great of thought into the shell design. Apart from the sturdiness, there some nice design touches. First, the various ports are in the correct locations and attractively hidden. For example, there are three USB ports, which are located on left, back, and right (think digital camera, printer, and mouse). Unlike the Inspiron (sorry Dell) the Ethernet plug is not located at the right, which interferes with mouse usage, but in the back. The scroll wheel with Back navigation button is nice but doesn't approach the performance enhancement of the MS Office keyboard. I would suggest that the diameter should be a bit larger to improve traction. As far as performance, it appears visibly faster than the only other valid unscientific comparison, which is my personal experience with a 1 GHz Dell. This is most likely a result of the 1.6 GHz P4 and DDR memory. At this point, I still don't know what the drive specs are as that information is not available. The sales process leaves something to be desired. The primary shortcoming is the lack of detailed information on various components, such as the drive seek time. There were typographical errors on their web site, such as one indicating that the screen was 1600 x 1400 instead of the proper 1600 x 1200. The configurator wasn't operational for the initial first weeks. After which it was sluggish and offered only a few options. hen dealing with the sales staff, it was either hit or miss. One woman was astonishingly rude, which was a shock in my opinion as I was purchasing a premium product. One major disappointment with the GRX series is the lack of integrated 802.11 b wireless internet. I am assuming that there were some design issues that prevented incorporation of 802.11 b. Another issue perhaps is that Sony, along with other vendors, is now offering 802.11a at 5 Ghz. Realistically, though, this shouldn't be an option as the ubiquity of wireless Internet that most junkies hope for will entrench 802.11 b. Overall, it is a fantastic premium laptop, albeit a bit large.
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